Thieves tried to break into Cheryl and Ashley Cole's £3.5million mansion yesterday in an apparent bid to steal the singer's wedding rings.

The attempted burglary came just hours after the X Factor judge was pictured flying to Los Angeles without her wedding ring on, following further allegations that her husband had been unfaithful.

Chelsea defender Cole was woken at 4.30am as thieves tried to force entry at the Surrey mansion.

He quickly called police and said: 'Please come quick, someone's trying to break in,' according to The Sun.

Police arrived minutes later but the thieves had fled.

A Surrey Police spokesman confirmed: 'We can confirm that officers were called to a house in Surrey at around 4.30am yesterday morning following reports of an attempted break in.

'Investigations are ongoing.'

Cheryl Cole wearing her square cut diamond £160,000 wedding ring

Sources said that Chelsea and England star Cole was not alone in the property at the time.

The Sun reported that police were said to be convinced the raiders were after Cheryl's two wedding rings.

But a source told MailOnline: 'Nothing was taken and they didn't manage to get inside the house.'

Police were said to be investigating a theory that the burglars were informed by a member of Coles' inner circle that he was unlikely to be home.

He was expected to escape the scandal surrounding his marriage by fleeing to his mother's house - but then decided to stay at home nursing his ankle injury.

'It cannot be coincidence that people attempt to break into the family home when both of them are due to be out of the UK,' a police source told The Sun.

Raid: Cheryl's diamonds rings were the target of a burglary at her Surrey home

Break in: Raiders tried to force a window at the couple's £3.5million mansion

'And it happens when there is widespread publicity that Mrs Cole is not wearing her wedding ring.

'Whether they were acting on some kind of insider information is certainly possible.'

Forensic officers were at the mansion yesterday searching for clues, while Cole remained at his home.

Cole gave his 26-year-old wife a £150,000 heart shaped rock on their wedding day, and famously also presented her with a £160,000 square-cut diamond in the wake of allegations he had an affair with a hairdresser in 2008.

Miles away: Cheryl was in Los Angeles last night while the drama was unfolding back home

The Girls Aloud singer has recently taken to wearing the square-cut gem but prompted intense speculation that her wedding may be on the rocks after she fled to America on Wednesday without it.

Instead she sported a large gold cocktail ring on her ring finger.

The attempted robbery comes a week after it was revealed that Cole had taken lewd pictures on his mobile telephone, which were sent to a topless model.

Another woman has also claimed that she spent the night with Cole at a hotel before he played an England match.

The couple's marriage has been rocked by claims Ashley sent lewd messages to a model, and had an affair with a blonde secretary